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Brantford-Brant

Should voters decide in referendum?

Ward 3 Coun. Dan McCreary is continuing to press for a referendum on zero per cent budget increases.

But Mayor Chris Friel says that such an approach to municipal financing is outdated and would lead to cuts in services.

McCreary, who saw councillors vote 6-3 against his idea at a committee meeting earlier this month, said he hopes some will change their minds to support the referendum when it comes up for discussion at next Tuesday's city council meeting.

"Should council support the question next Tuesday, voters would have an opportunity to put the brakes on annual tax increases," McCreary said in a statement released Wednesday.

"A yes vote by council Tuesday would commence a process leading to a bylaw, and a clear explanation for voters of the consequences of both yes and no answers to the question."

McCreary said he believes Brantford would become the first Ontario municipality to vote in a referendum to cap its budget. He noted that a previous Brantford referendum question saw voters back a casino for the city, despite opposition from some city councillors.

McCreary wants the following two questions added to the ballot in the Oct. 22 municipal election:

Are you in favour of a zero per cent budget increase that includes the impact of assessment growth for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022?

Are you in favour of no new user fees for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022?

Councillors voted 6-3 against adding the questions to the municipal ballot at a committee meeting last week. That decision will come up for final approval at the Jan. 30 meeting of city council.

Ward 3 Coun. Greg Martin voted in support of McCreary's initiative at committee and will support it at council.

Several councillors argued against the referendum questions. Some said the current council should not passing a resolution that would bind future councils. Several also said that zero per cent budget increases would hinder the city's ability to handle increased labour costs and inflation.

As well, it's unclear how the budget initiative would impact funding arrangements with Brant County, including over the local ambulance service, they said.

Friel said Wednesday that he remembers municipalities looking at zero per cent budget increases back in 1994.

But most municipalities now realize that such an approach doesn't work and only leads to cutbacks in services or higher tax hikes later, he said.

He called the zero per cent budget approach regressive.

And he said the referendum concept has been misrepresented as just a way to poll the public.

But a referendum has legal ramifications, Friel said.

"It would handcuff us," said the mayor, adding that only way to unlock the handcuffs would be through court action.

Friel also questioned taking an action that would have a huge impact on the ability of a newly elected council to govern.

"You could, potentially, have a 100 per cent turnover in the members of council," he said. "You would have new councillors coming in and they would be bound by a decision made by us."

Friel called the referendum question "cynical," noting that it is being raised during an election year.

"We've put a lot of work into improving our budget process and making it more transparent," he said.

"During the budget deliberations, some cuts were suggested but the suggestions were really weak because there just isn't a lot that could be cut without affecting services to residents."